Drug-affected driver sues Commonwealth after hitting schoolboys; sentenced to 13 years jail
Consensus Summary
Tayler Hazell, a 32-year-old drug-affected driver, was sentenced to 13 years and two months in prison after pleading guilty to hitting two schoolboys with a stolen car in Canberra in March 2023. The incident occurred on Canberra Avenue in Griffith, where Hazellâwho had taken the car from a childcare centre in NSW and was driving erraticallyâstruck 14- and 15-year-old students waiting to cross the road. An eight-year-old girl was inside the car when Hazell abandoned her before crashing near Manuka. Bodycam footage revealed Hazellâs arrest involved unlawful force by AFP officers, who breached professional standards, and he is now suing the Commonwealth for damages, claiming injuries to his face and emotional distress. The victimsâ families expressed relief at the conclusion of the criminal case, though one father noted Hazellâs sentence was not as long as desired. The civil case against the government is scheduled for July 2024, while the area around St Edmundâs College is set to receive a signalised crossing for safety improvements.
â Verified by 2+ sources
Key details reported by multiple sources:
- Tayler Hazell, 32, pleaded guilty to two counts of culpable driving causing grievous bodily harm in March 2023 outside St Edmund's College, Canberra
- Hazell was driving a stolen green Commodore (NSW-registered) with an eight-year-old girl inside when he hit two schoolboys (aged 14 and 15) on Canberra Avenue, Griffith
- Hazell later crashed the car outside St Christopherâs Cathedral in Manuka after the incident, where he was arrested by AFP officers
- Bodycam footage shows Hazell handcuffed and telling officers 'Nah man, I'm done, I'm done' before being forcibly slammed to the ground by AFP Tactical Response Team members
- An AFP investigation found the officersâ conduct breached professional standards, and prosecutors accepted the force used was unlawful
- Hazell was sentenced to 13 years and two months in prison (non-parole period of nine years) on March 28, 2024, with Judge Burns describing his actions as 'catastrophic'
- Hazellâs civil case against the Commonwealth for 'unlawful battery' is expected to be heard in July 2024, seeking damages for injuries including pain, fear, embarrassment, and aggravated damages
- The victims were struck while waiting to cross the road on the median strip of Canberra Avenue in Griffith
Points of Difference
Details reported by only one source:
- Hazellâs statement of claim alleges his face was 'injured and covered in his own blood' during the arrest
- Hazellâs solicitor, Callum Johnson, is seeking damages for 'aggravated damages for violence and disgrace'
- Judge Burns stated Hazell 'lied during court proceedings to achieve shorter sentences' and described his rehabilitation prospects as 'extremely poor'
- The Commonwealth is vicariously liable as the employer of AFP officers involved in the incident, per Hazellâs claim
- Warning included in Article 1 about an image showing an injured face that 'might cause distress'
Contradictions
Conflicting information between sources:
- No contradictions found between the two sources
Source Articles
Drug-fuelled driver who hit schoolboys sues Commonwealth over arrest
Tayler Hazell, who will be sentenced tomorrow over a hit-and-run that seriously injured two children, is suing the federal government, alleging police violently treated him during his arrest....
Driver sentenced to 13 years' jail over hit-and-run of Canberra schoolboys
It's almost a year to the day since Tayler Hazell drove a stolen car erratically through Canberra, seriously injuring two children....